An investigation on human actions effects on the Mediterranean ecosystem, looking specifically at the effects on the Adriatic Sturgeon. As human populations in the area continue to increase and seek opportunities to reverse the harm of traditionally unsustainable practices, it is valuable to consider ecological indicators and how their population dynamics can be interpreted to better understand environmental harms. Using the DPSIR (driver, pressure, state, impact, response) evaluation format we seek to better understand what is causing the population decline of the Adriatic Sturgeon and what responses the country of Croatia, and the EU, have taken to reverse these harms.

The Southern Lapwing is the national bird in Uruguay. There are drivers in Uruguay such as agricultural practices, tourism, and expansion of industry that directly impacts this species. Agricultural practices lead to land use change and soil erosion and Southern Lapwing rely on this land to build their nests on and the land is being compromised by industrialization. The state of Uruguay reflects the industrial practices through habitat loss, loss of biodiversity, sea level rise, etc. The Southern Lapwing is increasingly at risk since their habitat and resources they rely on is being degraded by human activities.

A DPSIR—which stands for – drivers-pressures-state-impact-response – is a framework for modeling the interactions between social and environmental factors. It is an aid in understanding the influencing factors in a state or country, interconnectedness of social-ecological systems and can inform policymakers in their decision-making process. Using The Bahamas’ Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, and other sources, we have crafted a DPSIR network model for The Commonwealth of the Bahamas that lays out the current conditions, influences, and responses of the small island developing state.

As a developing country, Albania still relies heavily upon coal and agriculture. Drivers such as coal mining, deforestation and livestock grazing result in increased carbon emissions, reduced freshwater availability and habitat destruction. Land degradation due to soil degradation and erosion as well as reduced water availability pressures the local ecosystem, making it hard for endangered species such as the Albanian tulip to survive. Albania’s main industries, coal and agriculture, have adverse effects globally as well, such as increasing global temperatures, causing species extinction and decreasing soil moisture. In response to these drivers of industry, Albania must adapt to different energy sources and mitigate the adverse effects of agriculture.

Given the dramatic decline in the population of the Mauritius Olive white-eye, this species has been listed as critically endangered. This bird is endemic to Mauritius, yet its habitat has been destroyed for infrastructure, introduced species have turned this species into prey and have also taken over this species’ niche. Mauritius has the responsibility and obligation to explore and analyze the correlation between the Mauritius Olive white-eye and SDGs, pressures, drivers, states, impacts, and responses. Previously, this team has perceived this bird as an ecological indicator species: wildlife that gives insight into the surrounding ecosystem’s health. We will focus on the analysis of the Mauritius Olive white-eye in combination with SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 16: Life on Land, considering their high relevance to the living environment and conservation issues of this species.